1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to table saw accessories and, more particularly, to accessories for feeding stock across a saw blade.
2. Prior Art
A table saw typically consists of a substantially flat, horizontally oriented saw table having a centrally located blade slot through which a circular, motor-driven saw blade protrudes. For ripping operations; that is, cutting wood stock along the grain which typically requires cutting the stock along a longitudinal dimension, a rip fence is used to guide the stock parallel to the saw blade.
A rip fence typically consists of an elongated metal bar having a substantially flat guide face which is oriented vertically with respect to the surface of the saw table and faces the saw blade. The rip fence also includes means such as clamps for securing the fence to the saw table so that the guide surface may be maintained parallel to the saw blade and blade slot in the saw table.
To perform a ripping operation, the rip fence is first aligned parallel to the saw blade and clamped to the table at the desired distance. The motor is actuated to rotate the saw blade, and the stock is fed across the table so that the longitudinal edge slides against the guide face of the rip fence and the desired cut is made. During this operation, it is necessary for the operator to lightly urge the stock against the guide face of the fence to prevent the stock from drifting away from the guide face.
If the distance between the guide face of the rip fence and the saw blade is on the order of four inches or less, the use of a push stick or other stock feeding mechanism is recommended. A push stick is an oblong length of wood or other material having a handle at one end and having a notched cutout at an opposite end. The stick is held by the operator and the notched end is positioned to engage the squared trailing end of the stock. During the aforementioned ripping operation, the stick is pushed forward by the operator, and the notched end urges the stock across the blade. The operator must use his other hand to urge the stock against the guide face.
Another type of push stick is known as a "pusher-hold-down" and comprises a length of wood or other material having a substantially flat lower surface and a pair of handles projecting upwardly from an upper surface. At the rear of the lower surface, a block is mounted to extend downwardly so that the block forms a corner with the flat lower surface and provides a vertical surface for engaging a trailing end of stock. The pusher-hold-down has an advantage over the previously described push stick in that it provides both a long surface which overlays the upper surface of the stock and a surface for engaging a trailing end of the stock so that the stock may be held down and urged forward during the ripping operation. The pusher-hold-down is also useful in grooving and in some edge-rabbeting, jointing and shaping operations which require the stock to be held down during the cutting operation.
A third type of stock feeding mechanism is known as a "fence straddler" and consists of a body having a pair of opposing, substantially vertical legs, one of which has its leading edge sloped downwardly and rearwardly, and a bridge joining the vertical legs to form a channel shape. A handle projects upwardly from the bridge and is inclined rearwardly from it. The vertical legs are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the straddler to "straddle" the rip fence with the bridge resting upon an upper surface of the rip fence.
During the ripping operation, the straddler is positioned rearwardly of the stock so that the sloped leading edge of the vertical leg adjacent the guide face abuts the trailing end of the stock and pushes the stock ahead of it across the blade as the straddler is urged forwardly. An advantage of the fence straddler is that the hand of the operator pushing the straddler is kept at a lateral distance from the rotating saw blade greater than with the previously mentioned push sticks.
Disadvantages of the existing fence straddler are that it lacks a surface to engage the top surface of the stock and hold it down against the surface of the saw table, and it is not adapted for either right handed or only left-handed use.
Accordingly, there is a need for a stock feeding device of the fence straddler-type which provides positive engagement with both the upper surface and trailing edge of the stock being cut within a range of stock thicknesses, and which is adaptable for both right and left-handed use.